Forever and Always
by kenzimone
Summary: A different look at the Punk Chick episode... [JH]


This one just popped up in my head one day, so I just had to write it down. It takes place during the 'Punk Chick' episode, and some of the dialogue in the beginning is actually from that episode. I didn't see it, and had to settle with reading the transcript.. 

Disclaimer: I don't own That 70's Show, or any of its characters. I'm merely borrowing them.

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"Jackie, just take the money, and buy a pie."

Jackie pouted and looked at the older woman, "Mrs. Forman, if I buy a pie that's cheating and I'll fail!"

Kitty did that funny little laugh of hers and glanced at the small girl in front of her, "Trust me. If you bake it, you'll fail too.."

The kitchen door opened and Red walked in, scowling.

"What's this about Hyde moving to New York?" he rumbled, crossing his arms over his chest.

Jackie looked up from the recipe book she was looking through, startled.

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'Steven is moving?' she thought, trying to straighten out the sudden jumble of thoughts flying around in her head. _'He's going away? He's leaving me? No, I don't care. I shouldn't care…'_

"No, no," Kitty stammered, wringing her hands. "He's only seventeen, his mother would never let him do that."

Surprised at the huge lump forming in her throat, Jackie did the thing she knew best: talk.

"Actually, Michael told me that Hyde's mom drinks a lot, so she probably won't even care. You know, drunk people are like that." She winced after she said it, knowing how it must have sounded.

Kitty seemed to sense Jackie's distress and approached her, putting on a cheerful face, "Okay. Let's make another pie. I will make the filling, and I will make the crust."

Jackie looked down at her hands holding the book, not surprised at seeing them tremble. "What will I make?" she whispered.

Kitty smiled sadly, and looked at her husband. Jackie understood that they would probably prefer to be left alone to discuss this new piece of information.

"You will go into the living room and make me a drink!"

Jackie nodded and headed out into the living room, still clutching the recipe book tightly, feeling slightly lightheaded. As she sunk down into the sofa the kitchen door continued to swing on it's hinges, enabling her to hear Red and Kitty talk inside the other room.

"He can't just drop out of high school. And New York city is no place for-" Red's voice was cut of by the door finally closing.

Jackie closed her eyes and leaned her head back on the sofa, inhaling a ragged breath. Suddenly she opened her eyes again, feeling something wet slide down her cheek. Raising her hand, she touched her cheek. She drew her hand back and looked at it, surprised to discover her fingertips wet. Tears.

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'And I thought I never cared..' she thought as she closed her eyes again, feeling another tear trail its way down her cheek.

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The sound of voices made Jackie open her eyes. She looked around, noticing she was still on the couch, wearing that ugly apron and clutching the recipe book in her hand. Surprised, she realized that she must've fallen asleep. Touching her face, she could feeling the stiffness brought by dried tears, and realized how horrible she must look. She scrambled off the couch, hurrying to the nearest bathroom.

Her suspicions were proven right when she looked in the bathroom mirror. Her eyes were rimmed with red, and her mascara had run, leaving black streaks over her cheeks. She quickly washed her face and stumbled out into the living room again, tearing off that horrible apron Kitty had given her.

The voices that had woken her could be heard more clearly now, and Jackie could make out Kitty, Red and Hyde arguing in the kitchen. Quietly she walked over to the couch, leaning against it, trying not to make it obvious that she was eavesdropping.

"-your resume? 'Dumbass'?" she could hear Red yell.

"I'm not afraid of anything, and I'm going!" Hyde yelled right back and the kitchen door swung open.

Jackie was caught off-guard, and found herself eye to eye with Steven Hyde. Her mouth was half open, and she couldn't seem to close it. Her first thought was to cover it with her hand, but she couldn't seem to move at all.

Hyde found himself staring at Jackie's face. Her eyes were reddish, as if she'd cried just recently, and the almost inaudible sniffle he'd heard when he first laid eyes on her didn't escape his attention either. He suddenly thought about taking her into his arms and comforting her, but then thought second of it. He had more important stuff on his mind.

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'What could be more important than-' a voice in his head started to say, but he cut it of, not wanting to hear. Instead, he charged forward, pushing past the petite brunette and storming out of the house. It almost saddened him that he couldn't feel her looking after him as he passed out the door.

Jackie didn't react as he pushed past her, but focused her attention on the wall in front of her instead. Another sniffle escaped her, and she was finally able to bring her hand up to cover her mouth. Her vision was blurring rapidly, and she turned around and ran out the still open door. She almost made it across the driveway before a new wave of tears began to pour.

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Jackie ran as fast as she could across the parking lot of the Sleepy Time Lodge, desperately trying to catch site of Chrissy's blue Vespa.

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'I'm too late. I'm too late,' kept repeating itself over and over again in her head as she stormed into the lobby of the little motel.

Rushing past the reception desk and a sleeping receptionist, she hurried down a small corridor. She suddenly stopped, her eyes sweeping over the numerous doors lining the walls, not knowing which one led to Chrissy's room, if she hadn't already left.

Biting her lip, Jackie decided to go on further down the corridor, and she was just about to round a corner when she collided with something – or _someone_.

She had been knocked off her feet by the impact and looked up to see Chrissy staring down at her. Jackie opened her mouth to say something, but Chrissy beat her to the point.

"Room 45."

Jackie blinked. "What?"

Chrissy smiled ruefully, "Hyde. I assume you're looking for him. He's in room 45."

Jackie continued to stare at her, not making any indication of standing up. Chrissy rolled her eyes and walked passed her, disappearing around the corner.

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'Room 45..? He didn't leave?'

She scrambled to her feet, grabbing her purse which had fallen off her shoulder, and rushed down the corridor until she spotted the door with a big '45' made of brass on it. Very un-Jackie-like she skidded to a halt, tearing up the door and stepping, or rather leaping, into the room.

Once again during the span of 24 hours, she found herself face to face with Hyde.

Neither of them moved for some time, Hyde surprised at her being there, and Jackie relieved to the point of crying that he hadn't gone. She was the one who made the first move.

Dropping her purse to the floor and taking a step towards him, earning herself a raised eyebrow from him, she let her hands rest on his shoulders. For some reason he didn't shake her off, but just stood still, awaiting her next move.

She let her gaze sweep over his face before her hands grabbed hold of his lapels, drawing him down towards her, so that they were finally eye to eye.

"You didn't leave," she whispered, her gaze lingering intently on his lips.

And then she kissed him.

Hyde didn't know how to react when he felt her lips on his. This kiss was so… innocent, not like any other he'd experienced. It was like she was pouring out her soul to him, in one kiss, trying to make him understand what he meant to her, how much she lo-.

And than it hit him, like lightning from a clear sky. She _loved_ him. She actually loved him. This wasn't lust, or merely pleasure, like every other girl he'd been with. This was love, this was genuine emotion, this was…way bigger a deal.

He pushed her away.

She stumbled backwards, and he had to look down, the amount of hurt in her eyes making him feel almost guilty about how he'd reacted.

"Steven?"

So pitiful, her hurt was broadcasted in her voice, it rolled of her in waves. He looked up, he had to, and saw that she was reaching out a hand to him, pleading, begging him to take it. To show her that he understood, and that he felt the same way.

He glanced towards her face, and was suddenly pulled in by her eyes. Brown, mahogany. He hadn't noticed how beautiful they were before.

She was mesmerized. Blue. She hadn't noticed how blue his eyes were before. They pulled her in, washed over her, making her drown. They were nothing like Michael's eyes. They were blue, and mysterious, and deep, and… He wasn't wearing his glasses. When had he taken them off?

He took in her face, her body, her whole. She was so small, so vulnerable. Like a fairy, who'd somehow gotten trapped in this world.

Reaching out a hand, he gently brushed her hair behind her ear, hearing her sharply inhale as his fingers touched the side of her cheek. And then he smiled.

She loved him. She truly loved him. He couldn't remember the last time someone said or showed him that he was loved…

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Love.

He'd almost forgotten how to love. He knew he cared deeply for her, surely he could grow to love her. He only needed someone to show him how. And he knew, that if he asked her, she would be more than willing to help him. 

And with that thought in mind, he looked down at her hand, still reaching out to him. Unwavering, still. Waiting for him to grasp it.

She waited for what seemed like a lifetime before he moved. He inched towards her, and as his face came close enough for her to hear his breathing she closed her eyes, soon feeling the sweet taste of his lips on hers. And as she softly kissed him back, she felt the grip on her hand tighten, telling her that no matter what, they'd always stand strong, by each other's side. Together.

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There. That's it. The end. Not my best, and kinda corny in the end, but it's 2:30 a.m. and I'm really tired.. R&R everyone! Until next time…


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